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(No Model.) H. J. ME ER,

SHOE PASTENER.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFrcE. I

HENRY J. DIETER, on snPAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF TO JOHN BURKHARD, OF SAME PL'AOE.

SHQE-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 260,852, dated July 11, 1882.

' Application filed May 5I 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. DIETER, of St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and 5 useful'lmprovements in Shoe-Fasteners; and

I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

I My invention relates to an improvement in shoe and other similar fasteners.

Heretofore shoe-buttons have been rigidly secured in position by sewing them in the ordinary manner, or by the metallic fastener now so commonly used; but these methods are objectionable for the reason that it is practically impossible to button the shoe without the aid of a buttoner, which latter is 'not always conven- Another objection to the use of button-shoes wherein a buttoner is necessaryis that the buttoner, besides tearing and enlarging the button-hole or eyelet by constant usage, also twists the overlapping piece of the shoe and draws it with a side wrench or curve, so that the line of direction of applied force is angular to that which obtains when the shoe is buttoned and actually in use, and thereby causes the overlapping piece to become distorted in shape.

The object of my invention is to provide a device adapted to be rigidly secured in position, and so constructed that the shoe can be easily and quickly buttoned without the aid of a button-hook.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device that will combine simplicity and cheapness of construction with durability and efficiency in use; and with these ends in view my invention consists in the parts and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of a shoe provided with n my improved device, partly buttoned. Fig. 2 is a detached perspective view of one of the fasteners in open adjustment. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same in a closed and locked adjustment.

A represents the shoe, B the fastening devices, and O the eyelets or the button-holes.

These fastening devices B are made of metal preferablybrass-and are composed of the two parts or leaves a a, the leaf a being provided with any suitable'number of projections or prongs, b,formed integral with the said leaves, by means of which the devices are rigidly secured in position by passing the prongs through on the inner face of it. Each leaf a is provided -on its outer surface with the hooked catch 0, adapted to en gage the hinged leaf a, as will be hereinafter described, and securely hold the fastener in a closed position when the shoe is buttoned. Each lower leaf, a, is also provided on its inner'endwith an oblongloop, d, which latter is restricted in width, and is formed by bending the end of the leaf over and securing it thereto by mortising or otherwise. This end portion of the loop at is so bent that the loop formed thereby will lie parallel to the outer surface of the leaf or, so as to enafble the pintle g of the leaf a to freely move in the said oblong loop while the two leaves are in close contact. The upper or outer hinged leaves, a, are slightly longer thanthe lower I leaves, and each one is provided near its outer end with a suitable button, E, made of any desired material, and formed integral with or separate from the said leaf; or an ordinary shoe-button can be secured thereon in any conwith an oblong slot, 6, through which the hooked catch 1) projects when the two leaves are brought into close contact, and by means of which they are held in close contact after the shoe is buttoned. The inner end of the leaf a is provided centrally with an open slot, f, which-is exactly the size of the restricted end -of'the leaf which latter fits therein. The sides of the slotf are of the same thickness as the restricted portion ofthe leaf or, and they are also formed by doubling or bending over the outer arms forming the sides of the slot. A pintle, g, is secured in any suitable manner near the end of the leafa, and extends across the open slot fand moves in the loop (1. This pintle g is sufficiently small toenable the leaf (1 to have a i'reelongitudinal movement, whereby the leaf a may slide on the leaf a to disengage the catch 0 from said leaf a.

When-it is desired to button the shoe the venient manner. Each leaf a isalso provided the shoes and then clamping or clinching them onto the body or main portion of thesaid leaf outer end of the leaf a is disengaged from the leaf a and is moved upward and held by a finger or thumb bearing on the under surface thereof. The overlapping piece of the shoe is then brought over into position and held with one hand, while the button Eis pressed upward through the proper eyelet by the finger before mentioned. This finger is then removed and the overlapping piece is moved downward until the two leaves are brought into close contact, when, by releasing the shoe altogether, the strain or tension on the overlapping piece moves the leaf a toward the center of the shoe until it is stopped by the hooked end of the catch 0 engaging with the body of the leaf to. When the fastening devices are set in their proper position on the shoe there is always a sufficient strain to keep the parts in locked position. The shoes can be unbuttoned in the ordinary manner without disengaging the leaves a a, or the said leaves can be unlocked and the shoe then unbuttoned. .When the shoe is buttoned the fastening devices are all covered and the shoe presents an ordinary appearance. The fasteners are secured in position by a tool especially adapted for the purpose, and for which I shall file a separate application for Letters Patent, and they can either be secured while at the mauufactory or at the retail dealers store by any person, as no special skill is needed for the purpose. As no buttonhook is necessary to button the shoe, the eyelets or buttons 0 can be made considerably smaller than at present constructed, as it is only necessary to be of size sufficient to freely admit of the passage of the button E.

I have described my improvement in connection with shoes; but I do not limit its use to shoes alone, as it is equally well applicable to gloves, belts, and wearing-apparel of any kind, or anything else where a fastener of such nature would be of use. I have also described the particular construction of fastener; but I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to that particular construction shown and described, but consider myself at liberty to use any and all constructions that fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. As a new article of manufacture, a fastening device consisting of a leaf adapted to be secured to ashoe, glove, or other article, and a second leaf pivoted at one end to said first leaf and provided with means for its removable attachment to the overlapping portion of the shoe, &c., and adapted to be turned down upon said first leaf and secured thereto, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. A fastening device for shoes, gloves, or other articles, consisting of two leaves hinged together at one end, one of said leaves being adapted to be secured to the shoe or glove, while the other leaf is provided with a button or its equivalent for engaging the overlapping portion of the shoe, and is adapted to be turned down upon the first leaf and be secured thereto, so that the entire device will be concealed by said overlapping portion of the shoe, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A fastening device for shoes, gloves, &c., consisting of two leaves hinged together at one end, one of said leaves being adapted to be secured to the shoe, and provided with a hook or catch, while the otherleaf is provided with a button for engaging the overlapping portion of the shoe, and is slotted to receive said hook or catch, and adapted to have a limited longitudinal movement on the stationary leaf, whereby the strain on the overlapping portion of the shoe will operate to hold the leaves in locked position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

,4. In a shoe, glove, or other similar fastening device, the combination, with a leaf provided with prongs by means of which it is socured in position, ahooked catch, and an oblong loop, of a leaf provided with a button, a slot for the passage of the catch, and an open slot provided with a pintle, the two parts or leaves being connected and adapted to operate as described.

5. The combination, with a lower leaf provided with a hook, and oblongloop, of an outer leaf provided with aslot to receive said hook, and with a button, and hinged to said lower leaf by means of a pintle passing through said elongated loop, whereby a limited longitudinal movement of the outer leaf is obtained, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY JOHA DIETER.

Witnesses:

Gno. J. Hum, Gno. ODLUM. 

